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FT MEADE 

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Healthy Bunny 





Copyright 1922 
C. H. Van Vliet Co. 

Chicago 

Printed in United States of America 


: '• .■ 

Hftl 17 >922 

© Cl A 686900 


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CHAPTER I. 


PURE FOOD AND WATER 
HEALTHY BUNNY 


Hark to the tale of Healthy Bunny! 
Good health is worth a mint of money; 

If you are good, you’ll eat pure food, 
And drink pure water as you should. 

Old Mother Bun shook her wise old 
head as she heard Healthy Bunny skip- 
ping down stairs two steps at a time 
singing to himself, 

“Hippety-hop, hippety-hop, 

When I skip along I hate to stop.” 

Old Mother Bun called Healthy Bunny 
back in a few minutes for he was skip- 
ping off to school without any break- 
fast. She remarked, 

“Breakfast first, then do not fail 
To pack a lunch in your dinner-pail.” 


3 


4 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


So, Healthy Bunny saw there was no- 
thing to do but to draw his chair up to 
the table and begin to eat breakfast food, 
for he wanted to go to school. 

Old Father Bun looked at Healthy 
Bunny. He looked over his horn-rimmed 
spectacles and said, 

“Healthy Bunny, as a rule, 

Eat before you go to school.” 

Old Mother Bun’s eyes twinkled as she 
said, 

“At noon your appetite won’t fail; 

What shall I put in your dinner-pail?” 

Healthy Bunny was usually up time 
enough in the morning to pack his own 
dinner-pail but to-day he was late so he 
said what he wanted for lunch, and Old 
Mother Bun gave him two peanut butter 
sandwiches and a piece of brown bread. 
She gave him a peach and piece of sweet 
chocolate wrapped in wax paper. She 
put in his own little drinking cup. 

Healthy Bunny took his own little din- 
ner pail and went off through the woods 
as happy as happy could be. He met 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


5 



other little Bunnies on the way to school, 
but when they got to school the most 
surprising thing met their eyes! 


6 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


On the school building was a sign, 
“CLOSED FOR REPAIRS.” 

“Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah,” cried some 
of the Bunnies who did not like to go to 
school, but some of the Bunnies were 
disappointed until Healthy Bunny said, 

“Sit down in a circle and be good; 

We’ll have our own school in the woods.” 

So those cute little Bunnies set down 
their dinner pails and sat themselves 
down in a circle and learned a verse 
Healthy Bunny taught them. 

“ ‘F’ stands for food,” said Healthy Bun- 
ny; 

“Don’t you think my rhymes are funny? 
For simple food let’s spend our money; 
Hark to me!” says Healthy Bunny. 

One little Bunny got so thirsty he could 
not sit still a minute longer, though the 
lessons in the out door school had just 
begun, so he ran hippety hop off to a nice 
fresh spring and had a cool drink. 

Healthy Bunny looked all round his 
class and said, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


7 


“I will ask each Cotton Tail, son and 
daughter, 

Before each meal do you drink pure 
water?” 

Some of the Furry Family said they 
took a drink now and then when they felt 
thirsty, but had no regular time to drink 
and Heedless Bunny said he liked strong 
coffee, and Homeless Bunny said wher- 
ever he went he begged for a cup of tea. 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“If you want to be healthy as can be, 
Please don’t drink much coffee or tea/’ 

“What may we drink then?” asked 
Happy Bunny, a dear little fellow who 
always wore a smiling face. 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“Water and milk, you very well know, 
Will always help to make you grow.” 

So many Bunnies had forgotten to eat 
breakfast that Healthy Bunny told them 
what Old Mother Bun said, and he con- 
tinued, 


8 


HEALTHY BUNNY] 



“I fear we are all too fond of meat; 

Some vegetables each day please eat.” 

Then a shout arose, “Cabbage and car- 
rots, cabbage and carrots,” and it was 
some time before this cute little school 
in the woods came to order. Then the 
Bunnies named all the vegetables and 
fruits they could, and said it was a 
healthy thing to eat plenty of them. 

Healthy Bunny said, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


9 


“I think we’ll keep a healthy chart handy; 
How many of you do like some candy?” 

To the surprise of all, Homeless Bunny 
said, 

“I’m afraid I’ll turn into candy soon.” 

Sure enough, he was always seen with 
a little bag of candy, and he ate so much 
sweets he never had an appetite for his 
meals. 

Heedless Bunny said he ate candy and 
ice cream cones and peanuts until he 
never knew when to stop. He ate so 
many sweet things he was often ill. 

All the little Furry people sat up very 
straight. They expected Healthy Bunny 
to scold them for eating sweets, but he 
only turned a somersault and said, 

“After meals, let me repeat, 

You may eat candy as a treat.” 

He said while it was harmful to eat 
candy all the time some sweet is good for 
us all, and we can wisely eat a little candy 
after dinner. 


10 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Happy Bunny loved to go about sing- 
ing, and he said, 

“Please teach us to write a little verse; 

I can’t spell much prose and rhymes are 
worse.” 

Healthy Bunny replied, 

“If well and strong you’d like to feel, 
Eat bread and butter with each meal; 
If you will heed what I have said, 
You will like to eat dark bread.” 

The Bunnies could sit still no longer. 
They began to skip hippety hop, to dance 
and sing, 

“A child, as well as a little Bunny, 

Often acts in ways quite funny.” 

Heedless Bunny said, “Some children 
eat much too fast, and I guess I do too; 
you should just see me nibble, nibble.” 

Homeless Bunny said, 

“We might really better feel, 

If we’d sit after a meal.” 

Honey Bunny who had a sweet tooth 
shouted, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


11 


“Your health talks often interest me, 
But I’ve a sweet tooth, as you see.” 

They all opened their dinner pails and 
were just going to eat lunch when 
Healthy Bunny said, 

“Think how much cleaner you will feel, 
To wash paws before each meal.” 

Off went the Bunnies to the spring and 
dipped their paws into the water. Back 
they came, and began to eat in a shock- 
ing manner. They were so hungry, they 
forgot their manners, and Healthy Bunny 
said, 

“To be strong and healthy, if you would, 
You must learn to chew your food.” 

Healthy Bunny saw that some of the 
dinner pails were packed every which 
way so he shouted, 

“Wrap each sandwich out of sight 
In wax paper neat and tight; 

And do not do your lunch pail up 
Without your little drinking cup.” 

By and by the lunch in the woods was 


12 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


over and the little Furry Family went 
homeward. 

Happy Bunny said, “I can make up the 
words to a little song, but what tune 
shall we sing it to?” 

Homeless Bunny answered, looking up 
through the trees, “See the stars twinkle, 
twinkle.” 

Heedless Bunny thought for once in 
his life and remarked, “Let us sing your 
words to the tune of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, 
Little Star’.” So the Bunnies sang as 
they went homeward, 

“Little Bunnies always should 
Try to eat the purest food; 

Bread and butter every day 
Is good food for us, we say. 

Healthy Bunnies, this we do, 

Try to drink pure water, too; 

Sweet and clean if we would feel, 

We would wash before each meal.” 

Happy Bunny waved good by as they 
came to the gate that led to Healthy 
Bunny’s home. Homeless Bunny said, 
“I will come inside to visit you some day,” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


13 



but Heedless Bunny went on without a 
word. 


Old Mother Bun stood in the doorway 
with a lighted candle in her hand. 

Just one thing would Old Mother Bun 
say, 

“Healthy Bunny, did you lose your way?” 
Old Father Bun said, 

“To worry, I think, is never wise;” 
Twinkle, twinkle, went his brown eyes. 

Healthy Bunny kissed them both re- 
marking, 

“Your advise is worth more than money; 
Good night, good night, sings Healthy 
Bunny.” 



Chapter Two 
EARLY TO BED 




CHAPTER II 

EARLY TO BED 

“ ‘E’ stands for ‘Early To Bed’;” 

That is what Healthy Bunny said. 

“If you’d be healthy as could be, 

You’d take some hours of rest with me.” 

One day Healthy Bunny said to Old 
Mother Bun, 

“May I give invitation hearty 
To a little week end party?” 

Healthy Bunny was a good little fellow 
so Old Mother Bun told him he might 
have four little Bunnies come to visit him 
from Saturday until Monday, so Healthy 
Bunny went off with a hippety hop. He 
called on Heedless Bunny and Homeless 
Bunny and Honey Bunny and they were 
delighted to come to his week end party. 

What a good time they had! 

They never even noticed it was bed 
time until the Town Clock boomed out 
in a rather loud voice, 


17 


18 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“Time for bed, time for bed,” 

That is what the Town Clock said, 

“Little sisters, little brothers, 

Seven for some, and eight for others.” 

All the clocks then began to behave 
in a comical manner, and they talked 
in real voices instead of their usual tick 
tock. 

“Go early to bed, go early to bed.” 

That’s what the clock in the kitchen 
said. 

The clock in the living room surprised 
them all by remarking, 

“Some Bunnies want to linger longer, 
But if you’d grow up tall and stronger, 
This thing you would do instead, 

Early you’d rise, and go early to bed.” 

Happy Bunny laughed and said, “At 
home I do sometimes beg to stay up a 
little longer.” 

Homeless Bunny said, 

“I go to bed whenever I please, 

Under the cabbage leaves or the trees.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


19 


Heedless Bunny did not pay any at- 
tention to what the others were saying 
but went on playing a game of solitaire. 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“My little alarm clock tried to scold, 

And said, ‘Go to bed without being told’.” 

Old Mother Bun looked hard over her 
knitting and Old Father Bun looked 
ovqt his horn-rimmed spectacles and the 
little Bunnies danced and capered about 
crying, 

“Good night, we’ll sleep tight, 

And go to bed by candle light.” 

Off they went, each one carrying a 
candle and singing merry little songs. 
One song they sang to the tune of “My 
Bonnie,” in a College Song Book, and 
will you believe it! before they had sung 
the chorus nineteen times, the Sandman 
had come and put most of them to sleep. 
The EARLY TO BED SONG sounded 
like this, 


20 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


1 

“So merrily we are all singing, 

Of good health for you and for me; 

And early to bed we are bringing 
Some new ideas, you will agree.” 

Chorus. 

“Singing, singing, 

Early to bed go if you are wise; 
Singing, singing, 

Come close up your two sleepy eyes. 

2 

“The Sandman will come to us creeping, 
And many’s the tale we have read; 
Bright dreams he brings, when we are 
sleeping, 

So now we go EARLY TO BED.” 

All the Bunnies fell asleep except 
Heedless Bunny. He was wide awake 
and got up and looked about the room. 

He felt homesick for his papa and ma- 
ma and began to cry. He cried so loudly 
that all the visiting Bunnies woke up and 
began to cry too. 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


21 



Old Mother Bun laid down her knit- 
ting and Old Father Bun took off his 
horn-rimmed spectacles and they went 
up stairs to see what was the matter. 
By and by, they coaxed Heedless Bunny 
back to bed. 


22 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Old Mother Bun said, 

“I’ll tell you a story, we’ll turn down the 
light, 

And soon you’ll be saying, ‘Good night, 
good night’.” 

She took her knitting up again and be- 
gan— 

Once upon a time there was a little 
Bunny who always heard some one say- 
ing, “EARLY TO BED,” and one night 
he was so contrary he decided to stay up 
all night. 

He sat m his little red rocking chair 
while the Cuckoo came out calling, “nine, 
ten, eleven, twelve.” 

Still that foolish little Bunny would not 
go to bed. 

He watched the shadows on the wall, 
And said, “I’ll not go to bed AT ALL.” 

“You won’t, indeed,” said a voice, and 
a Wide Awake Fairy came and sat be- 
side him and hummed such a sleepy song 
he had to pinch himself to keep awake. 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


23 


Then the Wide Awake Fairy called 
him to follow and they went out and sat 
in a hammock that rocked to and fro, to 
and fro, in the most provoking and 
sleepy manner. He was just closing his 
eyes when the Fairy bumped him out 
and the old moon stared and said, 

“Fm looking down from overhead; 

Let’s never let him go to bed.” 

My, what a night that Bunny had! He 
was kept awake ’till day break. 

Then the Wide Awake Fairy said, “Good 
day, 

Fm off and away, off and away.” 

The next day Bunny was cross and 
tired, and said, 

“I’ll pull the covers up over my head 
And go early to bed, early to bed.” 

So that night he went to bed early and 
the Wide Awake Fairy said, 

“He went to bed early as he should; 

I hope he’ll wake up happy and good.” 

Old Mother Bun had finished her story, 

Her knitting needles went click, click 
We all must quiet keep. 


24 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Her knitting needles went click, click; 
The Bunnies were asleep. 

Next morning Old Father Bun was 
quiet. 

He smoked a while, and then he said, 
‘Tve a story in the back of my head.” 

He was a jolly old fellow but had never 
been known to hurry in all his life, so all 
the Bunnies sat politely waiting for him 
to begin, though of course they were 
eager to hear his story. By and by he be- 
gan and told his story in rhyme. 

He said, “Once upon a time 
I learned to talk in simple rhyme; 
There was a little girl very sweet; 

She lived, indeed, upon our street: 

And there was a pleasant little boy 
Who did nothing to annoy, 

Only I heard that their parents said 
They never wanted to go to bed. 

Could we teach them, in story and song, 
To want to go to bed ere long? 

Some little message could we write, 

So they’ll WANT to go to bed at night?” 

Happy Boy shouted, “I know, I know.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


25 


Healthy Bunny said, “I have an idea.” 

Homeless Bunny sat very still and 
Heedless Bunny turned a somersault. 
Honey Bunny ran off to find something 
sweet. 

Now those dear little Bunnies all put 
their heads together and decided they 
would cut out two big pasteboard Bunnies 
as large as they were, and give one to 
the little girl and boy who lived on that 
street to take Early To Bed with them. 

Wouldn’t it be fun to go to bed with 
Bunnies for company? 

On the back of each Bunny they wrote, 

“Carry this message to each finger, 
Undress quickly, do not linger; 

If you heed what Bunny said, 

You’ll brush teeth on the way to bed; 
Be good then and put out the light, 
Before we say to you good night; 

If you go Early to Bed, it seems 
The Sandman will bring you pleasant 
dreams; 

You’ll not feel lonesome now in bed, 


26 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



For we’ll be waiting there instead; 
Now, if you think these rhymes are 
funny, 

Just go to bed with your little Bunny.” 

The little boy and girl were pleased 
with their Bunnies, you may be sure, and 
Healthy Bunny’s visitors went home. 

Happy Bunny remarked, 

“I’ll remember every word you said, 
Early To Bed, Early To Bed.” 

The other Bunnies waved good bye. 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


27 


Old Mother Bun said, “I’m sad because 
I see soiled face and soiled paws.” 

Old Father Bun said, “I see what you 
mean; 

To-morrow we’ll talk about being clean.” 

Healthy Bunny sat still a long time 
and he wrinkled up his nose in a comical 
manner, then he said in a sing-song 
kind of way, 

“’Tis a funny hour to rub and scrub, 

But I’ll introduce myself to the tub.” 

Splash, dash, he went into the tub 
and Old Mother Bun dried him on a tur- 
kish towel. She said, “To-morrow w0 
will hold school in our own school yard, 
and you can teach the other Bunnies a- 
bout being clean;” but they did not hold 
school in their own yard next day or next 
week. Can you guess the reason why? 







Chapter Three 
KEEPING CLEAN 


CHAPTER III 
KEEPING CLEAN 

“I often talk,” said Healthy Bunny, 

“In rhymes that sound to you quite funny; 
To be useful I always mean, 

So I’ll talk about keeping clean.” 

So sang Healthy Bunny one morning 
early. He got up so early the dew-drops 
were still on the flowers, and the last 
fairies were just whisking away out of 
sight. 

He ran down the path and saw a little 
fellow coughing so hard he nearly cough- 
ed his head off. 

The strange Bunny said, between a 
cough and a sneeze, 

“I know you’ll think I’m rather funny; 
My real name is Raggedy Bunny. 

I’ve troubles enough, troubles enough, 
I’m just getting over whooping cough.” 

The stranger looked like a Rag Bunny 
sure enough. 


31 


32 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



Healthy Bunny was so kind-hearted 
he invited him in and they had a 
happy day, until Doctor Bunny came and 
put a great card on the house, “WHOOP- 
ING COUGH.” 

Then Old Mother Bun said, 

“It seems to me, it’s pretty rough, 

We’re quarantined for whooping cough.” 

Healthy Bunny said, “What becomes 
of the Bunny school?” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


33 


Old Father Bun replied, 

“Write a letter, if that’s what you mean, 
You want to teach Bunnies to keep 
clean.” 

Now it happened that Raggedy Bunny 
was a great writer so he and Healthy 
Bunny set to work to write a letter to all 
the Bunnies in the woods. Raggedy 
Bunny began the letter by saying, 

“We hope each Bunny, every place, 
Really likes to wash his face.” 

The Healthy Bunny wrote, 

“We’ll open an out-door school some day, 
But Raggedy Bunny has come to stay; 
To stay inside seems rather tough, 

But we must get over whooping cough; 
Far and wide, o’er the world I seek 
For a Bunny who bathes more than once 
a week; 

It should be fun to rub and scrub, 

If you have your own bath tub.” 

In a few days the fun began, for the 
Bunny Postman brought in letters, big 
letters, little letters, middle-size letters. 


34 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



The letters were from Bunnies in the 
woods and Bunnies in town who wanted 
to learn Good Health Lessons and who 
wanted to be clean. Very few Bunnies 
wrote that they bathed more than once 
a week, and very many did not bathe 
that often, though one and all agreed 
that they did feel better after a good, 
warm, soapy bath. 

By and by Raggedy Bunny got so much 
better he and Healthy Bunny were al- 
lowed to go into the yard, and all the 
other Bunnies came to call and stood on 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


86 


the other side of the fence. They had 
come to learn Good Health lessons. 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“Some folks are careless beyond be- 
lief, 

I’ll teach you rules of the handkerchief.” 

He asked all the Bunnies to get out 
their handkerchiefs, all sizes, shapes and 
colors. 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“Healthy Bunny gives fair warning, 

You should use your handkerchief 
every morning.” 

He continued, “We all want clean noses, 
of course, and I want to remind you to 
use your handkerchiefs quietly. How 
terrible it sounds to make a noise with a 
handkerchief. If you must sneeze or 
cough, please cover your nose with your 
handkerchief.” 

At that very minute Raggedy Bunny 


36 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


retired behind a rose bush and coughed 
as quietly as he could. 

“To be clean please do not fail. 

Clean each shining little nail.” 

The Bunnies one and all agreed it was 
very hard to remember to clean their 
nails. 

Healthy Bunny reminded them that the 
Squirrel family were always busy wash- 
ing their paws and faces, and that the 
Bird Family dearly loved to take baths. 

“All but Sparrows,” remarked Heed- 
less Bunny. 

Homeless Bunny said, “They take dust 
baths anyway.” 

Happy Bunny smiled so much he show- 
ed his pretty, white shining teeth. This 
reminded Healthy Bunny to talk about 
keeping teeth clean. 

He remarked, 

“Little Bunnies, I hope you mean 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


37 


To brush your teeth and keep them 
clean.” 

Now, will you believe it! forty-nine of 
those little Bunnies owned no tooth 
brushes. 

So off they went hippety hop, 

Off and away to the drug store shop; 
And with their dimes I heard them cry, 
“We’ve come a good tooth brush to buy.” 

Back they came to talk to Healthy 
Bunny, very proud of their new tooth 
brushes, you may be sure. 

He taught them to brush their teeth 
right, left, up and down, inside and out, 
in the proper manner. He said, “We should 
all brush our teeth after meals, at morn- 
ing and bed time.” 

They all sang a little song to a tune 
they all knew, which you have sung to 
many times, called, “Lightly Row.” 

“Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, 
Brush your teeth and keep them clean; 
Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, 
For Good Health ’twill mean; 


38 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



See your teeth are clean and white; 
Every morning, noon and night, 

Brush your teeth, brush your teeth; 
Always keep them clean.” 

When the Bunnies went home they 
drew a picture of a tooth brush and wrote 
under it, 

“Use me carefully, please do, 

Now Fve been introduced to you.” 

They drew a picture of a bath tub and 
wrote under it, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


39 


“Useful things we all discover; 

It feels good to bathe all over.” 

By and by Healthy Bunny went into 
the house, and Raggedy Bunny sat under 
the rose bush thinking. When bed time 
came, he was nowhere to be seen. 

Old Mother Bun laid down her knit- 
ting and Old Father Bun laid aside his 
pipe, and they looked from garret to cel- 
lar. No Raggedy Bunny was in sight, 
and that was not the worst of their 
troubles. Old Mother Bun’s best sun 
bonnet was missing and Old Father 
Bun’s little silver watch that every one 
loved. 

His silver watch had a wonderful trick, 
It sang a song as it went “tick, tick.” 

“Do you think he stole?” said Father 
Bun, looking troubled. 

Old Mother Bun shook her head. 

“Do not make this sad mistake, 

A stranger in your house to take.” 

Healthy Bunny said, 


40 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“I’m sorry about this friend of mine; 
We’ll take down the Whooping Cough 
sign.” 

Next day he saw Old Mother Bun upset 
without her sun-bonnet and Old Father 
Bun so upset without his silver watch 
that he muttered, 

“It really makes me almost sick 
To go without that ‘tick, tick, tick’.” 

So, Healthy Bunny put on his best bib 
and tucker, and went off to find Rag- 
gedy Bunny and beg him to return the 
lost articles, if he had taken them. 

He met Happy Bunny, who said, 

“Where are you going, Healthy Bunny?” 
To which Healthy Bunny replied, 

“The distance in miles I cannot measure; 
I’m going to look for a lost treasure.” 

Don’t you think it was kind of him not 
to tell the other Bunnies what he thought 
Raggedy Bunny had done? 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


41 


Next he met Homeless Bunny, who 
said, “Whither away?” 

Healthy Bunny answered, 

“I’ll get somewhere, goodness knows, 

If I follow my nose and watch my toes.” 

Heedless Bunny joined them and said, 

“Where are you going?” Healthy Bunny 
answered, 

“I’m going to do a thing that’s wise, 
I’m going to take some exercise.” 

So they all ran on ’till they came to a 
sign, “Five miles to Good Health Town,” 
and they sat down to rest a while. 

Healthy Bunny twinkled his little eyes 
And said, “Let’s talk of exercise.” 


































* 

































































Chapter Four 

HEALTHY EXERCISE 








CHAPTER IV. 


HEALTHY EXERCISE 

Every Bunny who is wise 
Will take proper exercise; 

Exercise when you are small, 

Then you’ll grow up, strong and tall. 

One morning Healthy Bunny got up 
and put on his roller skates and skated 
round the block twice, then he came in 
and said, 

“Old Mother Bun, I don’t want to tease, 
But I am ready for breakfast, please.” 

He sat down and ate every bit of his 
oat meal and drank a glass of milk. 
Sometimes when he did not exercise he 
did not really want any breakfast. Did 
you ever wake up feeling that way? 

Old Father Bun said, 

“I’ll tell you a story, in song and rhyme, 
It begins this way, ‘Once on a time’.” 


45 


46 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


He had only gotten that far when 
“Rap-a-tap” was heard on the door and 
in walked Homeless Bunny, saying, 

“I’ve walked so far my paws are lame, 
But still I’m very glad I came.” 

He sat down as Old Mother Bun in- 
vited him to have some breakfast, and 
then he said, “I met Little Elf Exercise 
the other day, and I had so much fun 
chasing about with him over hill and dale 
I got as tired as tired could be, and my 
poor paws hurt me so much that I cried 
and cried.” 

Old Mother Bun bandaged up Home- 
less Bunny’s poor paws after breakfast 
and made him sit down on her blue plush 
sofa for an hour and sixteen minutes, 
and she said, 

“Any Bunny who is really wise 
Will not take too much exercise.” 

They all thought they heard some one 
chuckle. Could it be Elf Exercise hidden 
away? 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


47 


Old Father Bun began again to tell his 
story. 

“Now I’m willing to bet a dime 
I’ll tell my story, ‘Once on a time.’ ” 

“Rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door and 
in walked Heedless Bunny, crying be- 
cause of a stomach ache. He said, 

“You don’t know how bad I feel; 

I exercised right after my meal.” 

Old Mother Bun said that was a very 
foolish thing to do, and she made Heed- 
less Bunny drink a cup of hot water and 
sit in a little red rocking chair by the 
grate fire, while Old Father Bun, not a 
bit discouraged by interruptions, began 
again to tell his story. 

“I’ve told this story in every clime, 

It always starts ‘Once on a time’.” 

“Rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door, and 
in walked Happy Bunny. He limped a 
little and remarked, 

“Even a Happy Bunny cries, 

With too much of one kind of exercise.” 


48 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


He said he had jumped the rope until 
he was stiff and lame, and Healthy Bunny 
remarked, 

“You know I really think it wise 
To take different kinds of exercise.” 

Then he got out some cute little wooden 
dumb-bells and Homeless Bunny forgot 
his hurt paw, and Heedless Bunny forgot 
his stomach-ache and Happy Bunny for- 
got his limp, and they all played a game 
of “Follow the Leader,” with Healthy 
Bunny going through dumb-bell exer- 
cises with them. 

Healthy Bunny remarked, 

“I have something more to say, 

Enjoy your exercise each day.” 

He said exercise did not do us very 
much good if we did not enjoy it and he 
said we could often make a game out of 
work and enjoy it as much as play. 

They were in the kitchen, and to the 
surprise of all the Kitchen Clock sang out, 

“Who’ll wind up the Kitchen Clock? 
Tick-tock, tick-tock.” 



W' 


He Jumped Rope Until He Was Stiff and Lame 





HEALTHY BUNNY 


49 



Homeless Bunny sprang up on a stool 
and wound it up, saying, 

“This is making play of work; 

Though a little fellow, I never shirk.” 

The Tea Kettle next sang out, 

“Any thoughtful son or daughter 
Would keep me filled with pure water.” 

The Wood-Box found a voice and re- 
marked, 


50 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“If exercise is really good, 

Why don’t you fill me up with wood?” 

In and out, in and out, ran the Bunnies 
bringing in wood and water and the Old 
Broom called, 

“I will interrupt once more, 

Why don’t you stop and sweep the 
floor?” 

They took turns sweeping the floor and 
Old Father Bun, not one particle discour- 
aged, began once more, 

“Elf Exercise just loves to climb, 

So I’ll begin, ‘Once on a time’.” 

A low chuckle was heard and in danced 
Elf Exercise himself. He got all the 
Bunnies to dancing and interrupted the 
telling of Old Father Bun’s story, of 
course, though he did manage to make 
them hear him when he said, in a sing- 
song kind of way, 

“To be healthy every one tries; 

Do you take too little exercise? 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


51 


You may take too much, or after a meal. 
If you run too soon, how queer you feel.” 

Elf Exercise sang, 

“Furry little Gentlemen, 

Breathe deeply, count to ten.” 

The Bunnies said it was fun to take 
deep breaths and count to ten. 

The little Elf said we should all form 
the habit of drawing deep breaths, spe- 
cially when we were exercising out doors. 
We should take in plenty of fresh air, and 
he said that breathing pure air helped to 
make pure blood. 

Elf Exercise said, 

“Every Bunny, if he tries, 

Can take regular exercise.” 

He told the Bunnies it was foolish to 
take a great deal of exercise one day and 
none at all the next; in this way we would 
only make our muscles lame and sore. 
Homeless Bunny nodded his head grave- 
ly. 


52 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



Elf Exercise led all the Bunnies in a 
race outside and finally vanished back of 
a rose bush and was off and away in the 
twinkling 1 of an eye. 

Healthy Bunny ran round the rose bush 
to look for him and there he saw a blue 
string; he drew it out and there was Old 
Mother Bun’s lost sun-bonnet. 





HEALTHY BUNNY 


53 


All the Bunnies were happy, you may 
be sure, to think Raggedy Bunny had not 
taken it. 

Old Father Bun said he hoped his little 
silver watch would turn up in the same 
unexpected manner. 

When Healthy Bunny asked him to be- 
gin to tell his story again he answered 
that he really thought Healthy Bunny 
had told it for him, but he added, 

“To exercise and healthy keep, 

We must take long breaths and deep; 
And we learned it’s a safe way, 

To exercise out-doors each day; 

And no matter how well we feel, 

We’ll not exercise right after a meal; 
And every Bunny, if he is wise, 

Will take regular exercise; 

And a Bunny, to be strong, 

Will not exercise too hard or long; 
Every Healthy Bunny tries 
To take different kinds of exercise.” 

All the Bunnies said, “Tell it again, tell 
it again,” but Old Father Bun replied, 
“What was that little song you were hum- 


54 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


ming to the tune of “Yankee Doodle” a 
while ago?” 

They all sang. 

1 

“A healthy child, if he is wise, 

I give you all fair warning, 

Can exercise well if he tries, 

Every night and morning.” 

Chorus: 

“Clap again and keep the time, 

Hear our voices ringing; 

Bunnies now, in every clime, 

Of Good Health are singing. 

2 

To take deep breaths we all have learned, 
So prettily we’re dancing; 

A holiday we think we earned, 
Retreating or advancing.” 

All the Bunnies said they enjoyed the 
Good Health Songs so much they were 
goingto copy them and keep them in their 
little note books. Perhaps you would like 
to do that too, for Healthy Bunny says, 

“Exercise, as far as I can tell, 

Will help to make and keep you well.” 


Chapter Five 


THE TOOTH BRUSH 

STORY 























- 










CHAPTER V 


THE TOOTH BRUSH STORY 


It is almost past belief, 

Some people do not brush their teeth; 
Healthy Bunny says, “I really mean 
To brush my teeth and keep them clean.” 

One evening" Healthy Bunny was very 
sleepy but he sat up a while listening to 
the Family Clock tick its old familiar 
song. 

Suddenly he put his paw up to his ear 
and listened, for behind the sofa he heard 
another tick, tick. Quick as lightning he 
slipped down behind the sofa and what 
do you suppose? 

He found the watch that had a trick 
Of singing a song as it went tick, tick. 

So Raggedy Bunny had not taken Old 
Father Bun’s watch after all. 


57 


68 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



The little silver watch began to sing as 
soon as Healthy Bunny held it in his little 
warm paw. 


It began to sing a tooth brush song to 
the tune of ‘Twinkle Little Star.” 

“We have teeth above, below, 

White and clean let’s make them grow; 
Learn to use your tooth brush right 
Every morning, noon and night.” 
Healthy Bunny said, “It’s queer, 

It’s hard to remember such things here.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


59 


The little silver watch said, 

“To remember is not such a trick, 

If you will think a bit, tick, tick.” 

Then to Healthy Bunny’s surprise he 
told “The Tooth Brush Story,” and it 
sounded very like a story Old Father Bun 
kept in his story box upstairs: 

“Once upon a time Old Father Bun 
gathered many little Bunnies around him 
and gave each one ten cents to buy a 
nice, new tooth brush. 

Heedless Bunny went hippety-hop 
And spent his dime at the candy shop. 

All this time the little lonesome tooth 
brushes stood on the shelf singing. 

“Will no one ever come and buy? 

We are so lonesome, we could cry.” 

Along came the patter, patter, patter 
of little feet. 

Happy Bunny went hippety-hop 
And bought com to pop, pop, pop. 


60 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


The little lonesome tooth brushes were 
so discouraged they sat in a row and sang, 

“We sit all day on the shelf so high; 

Will no one ever come to buy?” 

At this very minute a little Bunny en- 
tered the store with a dime and walked 
straight to the counter and said, 

“I must go on, I’m in a rush; 

Will you sell me a good tooth brush?” 

My! the tooth brushes were excited, and 
they danced around so fast Bunny could 
not count them all. 

By and by Healthy Bunny bought a 
good looking tooth brush with a hole in 
the end to hang it up by, and he went out 
singing, 

“I like to teach things; isn’t it funny 
That my name should be Healthy Bun- 
ny?” 

Just then he met Heedless Bunny cry- 
ing with toothache because he neglected 
his teeth so much, and Homeless Bunny 
holding his paw to his face, and for once 
Happy Bunny looked sad and said, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


61 



“To the dentist I have to go 
To have a tooth taken out, you know.” 

Healthy Bunny remarked, 

“When ten cents once more you earn, 
Get a tooth brush and try to learn 
To brush your teeth without fail; 

Good bye, goodbye, little ‘Cotton-Tails’.” 

That evening when all the Bunnies got 


62 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


together Healthy Bunny told them “The 
Tooth Brush Story,” and the little silver 
watch interrupted in the most comical 
manner. It sang, 

“To be good Bunnies I know you mean; 
I hope you’ll keep your teeth all clean.” 

All the Bunnies replied that they now 
had new tooth brushes but it was hard to 
remember to brush their teeth without 
being told. They said it was hard, too, for 
them to always find their tooth-brushes. 

Homeless Bunny said, 

“I may mislay mine by tomorrow, 

But some one’s brush I can borrow.” 

The little watch ticked then with a fu- 
rious noise and remarked, 

“There are some things we must not loan; 
Your own tooth brush you must own.” 

Old Mother Bun laid her knitting down 
a minute and said, 

“You know it does seem rather funny, 
Some children are careless as well as 
Bunnies; 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


63 


But clean white teeth in even rows 
Do look well, as every one knows; 

So we should brush them every day 
To help to keep the germs away.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“What shall we do, what shall we do 
To remind the Bunnies and children 
too?” 

I suppose they would have been sitting 
talking about it yet if Old Father Bun’s 
little silver watch had not called out 
cheerfully, 

“I give advice, though I’m no boaster; 
Why not make a tooth brush poster?” 

The Bunnies were pleased at the idea. 
They worked a long time. They cut tooth 
brushes of pasteboard and made comical 
faces upon them. On the back of each 
they wrote such verses as, 

“To be healthy I’m sure you mean; 

I’ll help you keep your teeth quite clean.” 

On another one they wrote, 

“I’ll remind you, as you should, 


64 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


To very slowly chew your food.” 

On still another one they wrote, 

“To run and play don’t make such haste 
As to forget your tooth-brush paste.” 

On another they wrote, 

“When you break a tooth, you know, 

To Doctor Cotton-Tail please go.” 

They made one more poster and wrote 
on it, 

“What better thing now can I say 
Than brush your teeth three times a 
day?” 

When the tooth brush posters were 
done, Old Mother Bun said, 

“As my needles click, 

To distribute them will be a trick.” 

Father Bun thought and then began 
to laugh, 

“Ha, ha, ha,” said Old Father Bun, 

“I’ve thought of a way that will be fun. 
In our Air-Ship we’ll sail away, 

And drop them down for a year and day; 



ThejJ Cut Tootk Bruskes of Pasteboard and 
Made Comical Faces Upon Tkem 



HEALTHY BUNNY 


65 



Into every city and every town 
The tooth brush posters will sail down; 
So every Bunny and child that’s wise 


66 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Can have good teeth soon if he tries; 
Come on, come on, who is afraid 
To join this glad tooth-brush brigade?” 

Into the Air Ship they all went in a 
hurry. 

Up, up, up they sailed and dropped 
down their tooth-brush posters so chil- 
dren as well as Bunnies all over the world 
could know how to take care of their 
teeth. 

They often sailed down into a town to 
get something to eat, and they often 
sailed down into the woods to sleep under 
a warm blanket of leaves. 

Homeless Bunny said with pride, 

“I never had such a wonderful ride;” 
Heedless Bunny said “Without doubt, 

I may lean over and fall out.” 

Happy Bunny said, “I declare, 

I love to go riding through the air.” 
Raggedy Bunny said, “It’s worth money 
To take advice from Healthy Bunny.” 

At the end of a year and a day they all 
sailed homeward. All of the visiting Bun- 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


67 


nies but Homeless Bunny went to their 
own homes. He curled up on a mat and 
said, 

“I am healthy, I do declare, 

Because I breathe so much fresh air.” 

Healthy Bunny remarked, 

“If we can have a picnic tomorrow, 
Little picnic baskets I’ll borrow.” 

Old Mother Bun said, as she nodded to 
Old Father Bun, 

“We never can tell what tomorrow will 
bring, 

So let’s make merry and dance and 
sing.” 

As they danced in a ring, Old Father 
Bun was the gayest of them all, 

For in his pocket his watch had a trick 
Of singing songs with a tick, tick, tick, 
And said, “I’m glad no more to roam; 
Why can’t we be happy right here at 
home?” 












Chapter Six 
FRESH AIR 



CHAPTER VI 
FRESH AIR 

Healthy Bunny, Healthy Bunny 
Breathes in good fresh air; 

Healthy Bunny, Healthy Bunny 
Is welcome everywhere. 

Next day the schools opened in Bunny 
Town, so the Bunnies did not go on a pic- 
nic after all at that time. 

Healthy Bunny ate a sensible breakfast 
and packed his own dinner pail, and went 
hoppety skip off to school. 

Homeless Bunny had slept in a hollow 
tree all night and he just nibbled a few 
green things as he went along. 

Heedless Bunny ran into a puddle of 
water and had to sit with wet paws until 
recess. 

Happy Bunny sang little songs to his 
own funny little tunes as he went along. 
He sang, 


71 


72 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



“The air is bracing, fine and cool; 

I just love to go to school.” 

Raggedy Bunny fairly bumped along 
for he never walked straight, and he said, 
when he looked at the blackboard, 

“’Twas a jolly walk, I do declare, 

And now we’ll study about fresh air.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


73 


Sure enough, on the blackboard were 
the words, “FRESH AIR.” 

The teacher, Bunny-Know-A-Bit, had 
all the Bunnies stand in a row and she 
said, 

“In time and tune we always keep; 

Take in breaths, please breathe deep.” 

She made those cute little Bunnies take 
deep breaths while she counted ten, and 
she made them breathe slowly, too. 

She said that out-door air is purer than 
in-door air, and she asked the Bunnies 
how many hours a day they spent out- 
doors. 

The Stay-At-Home Bunny looked sad 
for he liked nothing better than to curl 
up in a corner and eat carrots all day. 

Bunny Know-A-Bit next said, 

“Now Bunnies, I give you all fair warn- 
ing, 

You must take deep breaths night and 
morning.” 

All the Bunnies said they would try to 


74 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


remember to do this for they wanted to 
grow up strong and well. 

Bunny Know-A-Bit continued, 

“There are reasons, I suppose, 

Why we should breathe through the 
nose.” 

Not a single Bunny could tell why we 
should breathe through the nose! 

She taught them first that the nose is 
lined with a membrane that moistens the 
air as it passes; second, that the air is 
warmed as it goes through the nose; 
third, the hair in the nose helps to 
catch particles of dust we would other- 
wise breathe into the lungs. 

Bunny Know-A-Bit next asked, 

“Do you go to bed by candle light? 

Do you open a window every night?” 

Healthy Bunny was the only one who 
always kept his window open at night. 

In the Bunny school they tried many 
experiments to see if the air in the room 
was in motion as it should be. They could 
tell there were currents of air by holding 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


75 



a candle by a window, door, or register, 
because the air blew the flame. 

Heedless Bunny sneezed very noisily at 
this minute, and he did not think to cover 
his nose with his handkerchief, so the 
teacher remarked, 

“To me it is almost past belief 
That you don’t use your handkerchief.” 

She said we should always cover the 
nose with a handkerchief when we sneeze 
for we do not want to spread germs or 
give our cold to another. She continued, 

“Some careless Bunnies I have seen; 

I hope your handkerchiefs are clean.” 


76 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Some of the Bunnies had come to school 
without any handkerchiefs at all, and 
some of them let them fall on the floor 
and get dusty. 

They soon learned a little song which 
they sang gayly to the tune of “Lightly 
Row,” 

“Breathe fresh air, breathe fresh air, 
We are young and free from care; 
Happy we, happy we, 

When we breathe fresh air; 

On a Health Crusade we go, 

Helping all to learn, you know; 
Everywhere, everywhere, 

We must breathe fresh air. 

The Bunnies made little paper wind- 
mills and pinned them on sticks near an 
open window, and they turned merrily 
round and round. They all had a happy 
day in school, and when evening came 
they gathered round the open fire and 
popped corn. 

Old Mother Bun was knitting as usual, 
and her needles clicked as she said, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


77 


“I have apples to give away, 

If you’ll tell me what you learned today.” 

Old Father Bun remarked slyly, 

“When I was little, as a rule, 

I left my thinking-box at school.” 

Healthy Bunny turned a somersault 
and said, 

“To wake in the morning well and bright 
We should leave a window open all 
night.” 

Happy Bunny said, waving his long 
ears to and fro, 

“New ideas make some commotion, 

But we need fresh air in motion.” 

Heedless Bunny said, as he wrinkled 
his nose, 

“I hope I’ll not be called on in turn; 

I can seldom remember what I learn!” 

Raggedy Bunny said, 

“All healthy people have a care 
To breathe enough of good fresh air.” 

Homeless Bunny jumped about and 
cried, 


78 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“111 coughing we’ll not come to grief, 

If we use a handkerchief.” 

One by one the Bunnies called “good 
night,” and went merrily homeward. 

Late that night, when the moon was 
shining, Healthy Bunny got up and 
peeped out to see the moon shining. The 
friendly trees waved to and fro in the 
breeze and seemed to beckon to him. The 
road stretched out invitingly. 

He got out of bed and went pitter- 
patter down stairs. As he passed the liv- 
ing room, the Family Clock called out, 

“When will you come back, Healthy Bun- 
ny? 

I miss you though that seems quite fun- 
ny!” 

Healthy Bunny answered, 

“Good bye, I’m going to breathe fresh air; 
I may return with the Mad March Hare.” 

He said it jokingly: he did not know 
that at this minute the Mad March Hare 
might be running eagerly to meet him! 


Chapter Seven 

THE MAD MARCH HARE 






CHAPTER VII 


THE MAD MARCH HARE 

The Mad March Hare with never a care 
You may meet upon your way; 

The Mad March Hare with never a care 
May just pause to say good day!” 

One day all the Bunnies in the woods 
went for a picnic, and the Mad March 
Hare was with them. He upset the coffee 
and spilled the tea. He put salt on the 
berries and sugar on the meat. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“You are very careless, I do declare; 
Why are you angry, Mad March Hare?” 

The Mad March Hare stared straight 
in front of him and scolded loudly. 

At this, Old Father Bun said, 

“We all have plenty of good fresh air; 
Why are you angry, Mad March Hare?” 


81 


82 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



This time the Mad March Hare stood 
on his head but said never a word. 

Healthy Bunny put his little soft furry 
paws around him and whispered, 

“Won’t you try sometimes to be good? 
You might spoil our picnic in the woods.” 

The Mad March Hare flopped his long 
ears to and fro and Happy Bunny said, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


83 


“If you look you’ll find friends every- 
where; 

Why are you angry, Mad March Hare?” 

The Mad March Hare began to eat clo- 
ver as though nothing else mattered, and 
Heedless Bunny said, 

“You’re a terrible fellow but I don’t care; 
Why are you angry, Mad March Hare?” 

Homeless Bunny whispered in one ear 
and Raggedy Bunny whispered in the 
other, and by and by the Mad March Hare 
sat down by the picnic party quietly for 
sixteen seconds so all could enjoy them- 
selves. 

By and by he began to talk and say in 
a sing-song kind of way, 

“I’m naturally angry, I do declare, 

For people get mad just everywhere, 
Mad at morning, night and noon, 

Mad beneath the silver moon, 

Mad today and mad tomorrow, 

Angry words may bring sorrow; 

I will shed tears, I do declare, 

For I meet Mad Bunnies everywhere.” 


84 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Old Mother Bun began to knit. Her 
needles clicked with a familiar sound and 
she said, “Poor little Mad March Hare, 
I believe you see so many Bunnies who 
lose their tempers that you gather up the 
scowls and tears and it makes you mad 
the whole year round.” 

Old Father Bun said, between puffs of 
his pipe, “I wish we could turn you into a 
glad March Hare. Come on and play 
games in the sunshine.” So they all began 
to play tag, but Healthy Bunny was mad 
in a minute because he was caught, and 
the Mad March Hare leaped six feet in 
the air, then Happy Bunny tripped and 
fell and cried so hard you could have 
heard him a mile away! 

He said by and by, 

“I stub my toe wherever I go; 

It makes me cry, it hurts me so.” 

The Mad March Hare boxed his ears 
and shouted, 

“It makes me mad when Bunnies cry; 

I can’t tell the reason why.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


85 



They set up a game of croquet, and in 
five minutes Heedless Bunny cheated a 
little, for he shoved the ball, and the Mad 
March Hare shouted, 

“My disposition would be sweeter 
If I did not find a cheater.” 

Homeless Bunny set up a howl for it 
began to rain. 

The Mad March Hare shouted, 

“Down, down, fell the drops of rain; 

It makes me mad that you complain!” 


86 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Raggedy Bunny said that some of his 
cookies were lost and he made such a fuss 
that the Mad March Hare leaped about 
and boxed ears right and left and cried, 
cried, 

“Now you know the reason why 
I’m angry too because you cry.” 

Then, if you guessed for hours and 
hours, you could not imagine what hap- 
pened next. A boy with a gun stood in 
the path that led through the woods. The 
boy stood very still. The Bunnies stood 
still, all but the Mad March Hare. He 
went up to the boy and shouted to him, 

“I’m the Mad March Hare, ’twill spoil our 
fun 

Unless you will lay aside your gun!” 

The boy was so surprised to hear the 
Mad March Hare talk that he dropped his 
gun and ran as fast as his legs could 
carry him. 

The rain fell so hard that even Healthy 
Bunny remarked, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


87 



“My fur and whiskers won’t keep dry; 
To hide under this tree I’ll try.” 

Then the most surprising thing hap- 
pened! 

A fairy peeped out of a hollow tree and 
said, 

“The Fairy Folk are all away; 

Come and enjoy your holiday.” 

In they all trooped. Inside the tree it 
was warm and dry and there was plenty 


88 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


of room to dance a hornpipe. The Tree 
Fairy said, 

“I am so happy I always sing, 

For Bunnies, dear, it is really spring.” 

Then she told them all about the happy 
things that come in spring time, the re- 
turn of the birds and flowers. 

Even then they could hear the Wood- 
pecker drumming and tapping outside. 
The Fairy told of flowers peeping up amid 
the showers and sunshine and they peeped 
out and saw a rainbow. 

Again she told of the awakening of 
flowers and they caught the breath of 
violets. 

The Tree Fairy told them so many 
woodland secrets and showed them so 
many happy things waking, waking in 
the spring time, that they all grew glad 
as glad could be, and even the Mad 
March Hare said, 

‘If you’ll not get mad at anything, 

I’ll join the Fairy and sing and sing; 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


89 


Will you be happy now, my dears, 

And promise to shed no more tears?” 

All the Bunnies promised, and with 
many a good wish for the Tree Fairy, 
danced homeward, saying they had had 
a merry old picnic after all. 

That evening Old Mother Bun and Old 
Father Bun and Healthy Bunny sat by the 
fire warming their paws and Old Mother 
Bun said, 

“I’ve finished some knitting, I do declare; 
Here’s a red cap for the Mad March 
Hare.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“In my work-shop there’s a red rocking 
chair; 

I’ve made it for the Mad March Hare.” 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“The Mad March Hare might be good 
If I’d share with him my food.” 

The Whistling Wind blew a great blast 
and down the chimney danced some soot. 


90 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


The Whistling Wind blew the back door 
open and in danced the Mad March Hare. 

He sang, 

“I’m happpy now, if I don’t lose my wits; 

Ha, ha, ho, ho, the new red cap fits.” 

He put on the cap Old Mother Bun had 
made for him, he snatched a cookie from 
Healthy Bunny and bounded out to the 
work shop to see his new rocking chair! 

He called to the other Bunnies, 
“You’ve made me glad a minute, I do de- 

I’m the Mad little, bad little Glad March 
Hare.” 

Healthy Bunny laughed until he cried 
and said, “I do wonder if we will ever 
tame him.” 


Chapter Eight 

SAFETY FOR ALL 


CHAPTER VIII 


SAFETY FOR ATT, 


Healthy Bunny made a banner, 

These words to repeat; 

He’ll teach a lesson in this manner, 
“Safety on the street.” 

One day Healthy Bunny made a ban- 
ner, and wrote on it in large red letters, 
“SAFETY FIRST.” 

He ran down the road and every mem- 
ber of the Cotton-Tail family that he met 
asked him what the words meant on the 
banner, or suggested something to him. 

He met Happy Bunny who said, “Safe- 
ty First suggests to me we must kill all 
the flies we can, because they carry 
germs.” 

Homeless Bunny said, “We must keep 
ourselves clean to be healthy.” 


93 


94 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



Healthy Bunny said, “Let us go into 
town and walk up and down the street, 
and I will show you what I really meant 
when I made this banner.” Soon they had 
to cross a street full of teams and cars 
coming and going. Heedless Bunny 
started to run right in front of a car, of 
course! 

Healthy Bunny held him back and made 
all the Cotton-Tails look before they at- 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


95 


tempted to cross a street. Then he made 
them learn a little verse by repeating it 
over and over, 

“A jingle now you can repeat, 

When you have to cross the street; 
This thing’s not learned in any book, 
Up and down please pause and look!” 

Happy Bunny was the first to learn the 
verse and he and the other Bunnies beg- 
ged to go on. 

Healthy Bunny had been to town before 
and he had seen many things out of his 
big eyes. He continued thoughtfully, 

“How many times must I repeat, 

‘Don’t play your games upon the street’?” 

Raggedy Bunny put his rubber ball 
back into his pocket and Heedless Bunny 
nearly trod on his toes, for he never 
looked where he was going. Heedless 
Bunny remarked that he was always get- 
ting hurt on the street for he seldom 
looked to see where he was going. 


Healthy Bunny said, 


96 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



“Something may happen that is worse, 
If you don’t think of Safety First.” 


Raggedy Bunny shuffled as he walked 
along and Healthy Bunny said, 

“It is wise to lift your feet, 

When you walk across the street.” 

Happy Bunny made up a jingle at this 
time and said, 

“To learn about manners as well as 
health 

Will mean to us much more than wealth.” 
Heedless Bunny stopped to talk to a 









































i 




V 


He Drew His O^n Picture with a Piece of c oal 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


97 


stranger and Healthy Bunny reminded 
him as they walked along that it is not 
wise to talk to strangers, that we should 
always know whom we are talking to, and 
if we really need to ask a question the 
Policeman Bunny will gladly answer us. 

The cars were coming so fast in each 
direction that Healthy Bunny cried, 

“We might all get hurt, alas! 

Better let the swift cars pass.” 

Healthy Bunny kept Heedless Bunny 
and Raggedy Bunny from hitching onto 
an ice wagon. My! they did want some 
little pieces of ice to eat! and they were 
sulky until they came to the next block 
and saw the Mad March Hare hitch his 
little bob-sled onto a truck and fall off 
and break his leg! My! what a hurrying 
and scurrying there was! 

He had to go to the Bunny Hospital, 
of course, and he was a terrible patient 
for he threw his medicine bottle across 
the room and he tore the bandage off his 
leg and upset his soup. He was so very 
wild that by and by, lame as he was, he 
jumped out the window and never stop- 


98 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


ped running till he saw Old Father Bun 
rocking to and fro by the window. 

Old Mother Bun said, “I do declare, 
Here’s the sad little, bad little Mad March 
Hare.” 

Old Father Bun just took the poor little 
fellow up in his lap and said, 

“You just cuddle right up to me; 

What you need is Sympathy.” 

For once in his life the Mad March Hare 
forgot to shout, and Old Mother Bun fed 
him lemon jelly and the other Bunnies 
trooped in while Healthy Bunny was still 
talking about “SAFETY FIRST.” 

He said, 

“Safety First will save much pain; 

To hitch on wagons let’s refrain.” 

At this, the Mad March Hare got very 
wild for it reminded him of his trouble 
and he made such a noise they were ob- 
liged to lock him up in the coal cellar. 

Healthy Bunny asked his friends if 
they knew the tune to “Mary Had A Little 
Lamb,” and as they all knew it, he taught 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


99 


them these words, a line at a time. They 
called the song “SAFETY FIRST.” 

“We will sing of safety first, 

Safety first, safety first, 

We will sing of safety first 
Everywhere we go; 

When we’re walking on the street, 

On the street, on the street, 

When we’re walking on the street, 

We’ll be keen you know. 

Safety first is good for all, 

Good for all, good for all, 

Safety first is good for all, 

’Twill our motto be; 

Safety first then we repeat, 

We repeat, we repeat, 

Safety first then we repeat, 

Walking on the street.” 

Late that night, Old Father Bun went 
downstairs, “Pitter, patter,” sounded his 
little feet. 

He went to the coal cellar to let the 
Mad March Hare up. He expected to find 
him very wild, but, to his complete sur- 
prise, he saw him drawing with a piece 
of coal on the whitewashed wall. 


100 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


He drew his own picture, too, and wrote 
upon the picture. 

He drew his picture many times larger 
than it was. 

He wrote on one ear, 

“As Safety First we learn to know, 

We’ll conquer germs each day or so.” 

On the other ear he wrote, 

“Don’t talk to strangers that you meet, 
When walking up and down the street.” 

On one paw he wrote, 

“Some things practise as well as talk, 
Lift your feet up when you walk.” 

On another paw he wrote, 

“You can be thoughtful if you try, 
Please let rapid cars dash by.” 

He drew a back view of himself next 
and wrote on his little stubby tail all in 
capital letters, 

“SAFETY FIRST IS THE MESSAGE I 
BRING, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


101 


I WILL NOT HITCH ON TO ANY- 
THING.” 

Old Father Bun clapped and cried out 
“Hurrah! hurrah!” and all the Bunnies 
woke, of course, and came trooping into 
the cellar. 

The Mad March Hare saw a broken 
pane of glass in a cellar window and he 
dashed through it and was off and away 
in the moonlight before any one could 
wink an eye-lash. 

Then Old Mother Bun said, 

“Go right back to bed.” 

Old Father Bun looked surprised and 
remarked, 

“I thought he’d not mind; 

I meant to be kind.” 

The Mad March Hare came back and 
peeped in at Old Father Bun who was al- 
ready putting a new window light in. 

The Mad March Hare shouted, standing 
on tip-toe, 


102 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“I’m here, and there, and everywhere, 
I’m the dear little, queer little Mad 
March Hare.” 

Old Father Bun did not reply this time 
but handed a carrot out to the Mad March 
Hare. 

Next day all the Bunnies trooped down 
cellar and copied the pictures the Mad 
March Hare had drawn, and Healthy 
Bunny even went so far as to draw a 
Bunny Calendar and write verses on it. 
One verse they all liked and called it 
SAFETY FIRST. 

“As Safety First we learn to know, 
We’ll conquer germs each day or so; 
And when we go out to walk, 

To strangers we will never talk; 

We all can learn to lift our feet 
When walking up and down the street; 
We’ll not play games when teams pass 
by; 

To be healthy we will try; 

The cars pass by so fast, you know, 

We will look before we go, 

And this one thing we’ll sing and sing, 
‘We’ll not hitch on to anything’!” 


Chapter Nine 

FIGHTING GERMS 



CHAPTER IX. 


FIGHTING GERMS 

“To fight the germs,” said Healthy Bunny, 
“Shall be my vocation; 

To do this thing requires no money, 
But it needs education!” 

Next morning Healthy Bunny came to 
breakfast sweet and clean, with a good 
appetite. 

Old Mother Bun smiled at the little 
Bunny visitors and excused their bad 
manners for they had not had much train- 
ing. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“I’m glad to see you in your places, 

All with happy smiling faces; 

In the morning I wonder if half 
The Bunnies stop to take a bath? 

If you lived here, I’d give fair warning, 
You’d have to brush teeth every morn- 
ing; 


105 


106 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



Now to be cheerful I know you mean 
As well as to try to keep quite clean/ 


Happy Bunny clapped his paws and 
said, “We all forgot our manners, not one 
of us said ‘Good Morning’.” 

Heedless Bunny tipped over his glass 
of milk and said in a low voice, 

“To be clean I never care; 

I’m cousin of the Mad March Hare!” 

Homeless Bunny said he never had a 
toothbrush in all his life until this year, 




HEALTHY BUNNY 


107 


and Raggedy Bunny laughed so hard the 
table shook. 

Healthy Bunny said as it was a stormy 
day they would all gather round the fire 
and keep their fur and whiskers dry and 
he would tell what he knew about germs. 

Old Mother Bun opened the window to 
let in fresh air and began to knit in her 
cozy corner and Old Father Bun fell fast 
asleep over his newspaper while Healthy 
Bunny talked. 

Healthy Bunny said we should always 
let in plenty of fresh air and sunshine as 
germs like to hide in dark places. 

All the Bunnies made up little verses. 

Happy Bunny said, 

“We’ll fight the germs now early and late, 
This much we’ve learned at any rate.” 

Homeless Bunny said, 

“We understand now what you mean, 
We’ll all fight germs by keeping clean.” 

Heedless Bunny winked at him and 
said, 


108 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


“Health and cleanliness go hand in hand, 
A toothbrush is useful we understand.” 

Raggedy Bunny chimed in, 

“Pure food and water, pure food and 
water, 

Says each thoughtful son and daughter.” 

Healthy Bunny continued, “Please re- 
member that keeping early hours makes 
you strong and well and able to resist 
germs that are in the air. At this, Old 
Father Bun’s little silver watch sang, 

“I have always heard it said 
Healthy Bunny goes early to bed.” 

Healthy Bunny continued, “I hope you 
will all remember your handkerchiefs 
and use them to cover your mouths when 
you have a cold. I hope you will also re- 
member to breathe through your noses, 
specially in winter, so the air will be 
warmed by the time you take it into your 
lungs.” He asked if they remembered 
what he had told them about exercise. 

Happy Bunny sang, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


109 


“We should exercise each day, 

And always in the proper way.” 

Suiting the action to the words those 
cunning little Bunnies got up to play a 
game. 

Healthy Bunny stood in the centre of 
the circle they formed and ran in and out 
between them. 

They all sing to the tune of “Twinkle 
Little Star,” 

“Exercise now every day, 

For ’tis jolly fun to play; 

Close your eyes if you are wise, 

Or Bunny’ll take you by surprise.” 

Healthy Bunny dropped a little banner 
behind any one he chose and they changed 
places. They all sang the same song over 
and over and the game continued a long 
time. 

By and by, as the sun came out, Old 
Mother Bun said, 

“Run out-doors now quick, quick, quick, 
While my needles go click, click click.” 


110 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



Old Father Bun woke up at this and 
went out with all the little Cotton-Tails 
hanging to his coat tails. 

They had a jolly play in the sunshine 
and Old Father Bun taught them a new 
song, which they sang to the tune of 
“Cornin’ Thro The Rye,” 

“We will learn to fight the germ, 

With sunshine and fresh air 
We are learning every term, 

There’s good Health everywhere; 

We are learning little lessons 
In all our work and play, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


111 


We will learn to conquer germs 
With Good Health every day.” 

By and by, suddenly, without any warn- 
ing whatever, Homeless Bunny took to 
his heels and ran off and away without so 
much as winking an eye-lash. 

Heedless Bunny went hippety-hop af- 
ter him, Raggedy Bunny did the same 
and Happy Bunny went off singing soft- 
ly, 

“There will be fun for every one, 

At the surprise party for Father Bun.” 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“I’m not going to shed any tears; 

They may learn in 1000 years.” 

Healthy Bunny went back into the 
house and whispered to Old Mother Bun, 

“Old Mother Bun, without a mistake, 
Tomorrow we’ll need a birthday cake.” 

She laid down her knitting and stirred 
up the fire. 

Old Father Bun said, 


112 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



“I’ll carry wood — it is my turn; 

Are you trying to really fight the germ?” 

Old Mother Bun shook her head at him. 
Then she began to make the largest birth- 
day cake you ever dreamed of. 

Old Father Bun’s little silver watch 
sang to Healthy Bunny, 

“Creep a little nearer, dear, 

I tick so loud perhaps he’ll hear.” 

Healthy Bun then listened to the little 
silver watch ticking upon the mantel. It 
sang, 

“We need eighty candles, unless I mis- 
take, 




HEALTHY BUNNY 


113 


To really make Father Bun’s birthday 
cake.” 

Off and away ran Healthy Bunny to 
buy eighty candles for the birthday cake. 

He met Happy Bunny who said, 

“I am off and away 
For a present today.” 

He met the Homeless Bunny who said, 

“Hippety-hop, hippety-hop, 

I am off and away to the little shop.” 

He met Raggedy Bunny and Heedless 
Bunny who called to him, 

“Hippety-hop, it is rare fun 
To buy a present for Old Father Bun.” 

On trudged Healthy Bunny to buy the 
candles. On his way homeward he met the 
Mad March Hare, who shouted as he 
scampered past, 

“Ha, ha, ha, the secret’s told, 

Old Father Bun is eighty years old.” 


114 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Healthy Bunny set down his basket to 
think what present he could give Old 
Father Bun for his birthday. I don’t 
know what in the world he would have 
done, but just then Honey-Bunny came 
by with a black box under his arm and 
cried, 

“I’ll take your picture just for fun, 

As a surprise for Old Father Bun.” 

Soon Healthy Bunny went along with 
his basket of candles and his photograph 
in his pocket. 

As he crept softly in the side door Old 
Mother Bun was just taking the huge 
birthday cake out of the oven. It was so 
heavy she groaned as she took it out of 
the oven and Old Father Bun said, 

“Is your back so bad, my dear? 

Speak loudly so that I can hear.” 

Old Mother Bun shouted in her funny 
way, 

“Keep your chair, I say, in a voice quite 
firm; 

“I am studying how to fight the germ.” 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


115 


Healthy Bunny helped her frost the 
huge cake and they put the eighty red 
candles on it and set it high up on the 
pantry shelf. 

Healthy Bunny had taken so much ex- 
ercise in the fresh air and sunshine that 
he fell asleep as soon as his head touched 
the pillow. 














































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Chapter Ten 

GOOD HEALTH HABITS 













































































































































































































































































































































































































CHAPTER X. 

GOOD HEALTH HABITS 

“Good Health Habits,” said Father Bun, 
“Can really be learned by any one, 

So I hope all little Rabbits 

Will try to learn Good Health Habits.” 

So sang Old Father Bun one day. He 
sang over and over the same little song 
and Old Mother Bun interrupted slyly, 

“A wonderful cake, a wonderful cake, 
Comes on your birthday, without mis- 
take.” 

Old Father Bun did not pay any atten- 
tion to her and Healthy Bunny said, “Do 
tell us about forming Good' Health Hab- 
its,” so Old Father Bun said, 

“Health Habits are easy to form, you see, 
If you do things with regularity.” 

“Rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door. 

In came Happy Bunny with a mys- 
terious package. 


119 


120 


HEALTHY BUNNY 



He greeted his old friends and sat 
down on a three-legged stool by the fire. 

Old Father Bun sang his song all over 
again and continued, “We should have 
regular hours for work and play, regular 
hours for exercise, and many other things 
are important in forming Good Health 
Habits.” 

“Please do not drink much coffee or tea; 
Milk and cocoa agree with you and me.” 

“Rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door. 

In came Homeless Bunny with a curious 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


121 


package done up in tissue paper. He sat 
on a stool by the fire and merely nodded 
for he saw he was interrupting Old 
Father Bun, so the old fellow went on, 

“You’ll find it always pleasant here, 

If you form the habit of good cheer.” 

He said it was as easy to form the cheer- 
ful habit as the habit of being miserable. 

Old Father Bun added that we should 
never allow ourselves to be upset by tri- 
fles that happen, such as rainy weather, 
or any disappointment that comes to us 
in carrying out our plans. 

Said Old Father Bun, in a knowing way, 
“Tomorrow always follows today.” 

He meant that no matter what hap- 
pened we could look forward to better 
times, for we would always have another 
day coming. 

“Rap-a-tap ,” sounded on the door and 
in came Heedless Bunny. He tripped on 
a rug and upset a stool and made a great 
noise, but for all that Old Mother and 
Father Bun made him welcome, and a 


122 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


little wee package peeped out from his 
coat pocket. 

Old Father Bun said, as though noth- 
ing had happened, 

“Good Health Bunnies, I’ve heard said, 
Will early rise and go early to bed.” 

“Not on a Birthday night,” whispered 
the Bunnies and they looked very know- 
ing. 

“Rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door and 
in came Raggedy Bunny. He carried a 
covered box and sat down quietly on his 
stool by the fire. 

Old Father Bun looked over his spec- 
tacles and said, 

“Some questions really make me laugh, 
How about taking a regular bath?” 

Most of the Bunnies agreed that they 
had no regular bathing hour at all. Old 
Father Bun said it would be a good habit 
to form to bathe regularly all over, at 
least once a week, and he added, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


123 



“I hope that you will have a care 
To always take deep breaths of air. 
And no matter what goes wrong, 
Whistle a bit and sing a song.” 

Suddenly, without any warning what- 
ever, in dashed the Mad March Hare, 
shouting, 

“Old Father Bun, so I am told, 

Is hale and hearty and eighty years old.” 

He began to thump and bump Old 



124 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


Father Bun on the back and he upset the 
table, and boxed ears right and left. 

Old Mother Bun ran and got him some 
soothing syrup and at last he was willing 
to sit down a minute by the fire. 

All the Bunnies then shouted, 

“Hurrah for Old Father Bun, hale and 
hearty, 

Hurrah, hurrah, for his Birthday party.” 

Then each of those cunning little Bun- 
nies gave Old Father Bun a birthday pres- 
ent and he was pleased as pleased could 
be. 

“I am happy too,” said the Old Family 
Clock, 

“Tick, tick, tock, tick, tick, tock.” 

The Family Clock kept up such a hum- 
ming and ticking that Old Father Bun 
got up and looked under it and found a 
new pair of spectacles Old Mother Bun 
had bought him. He had so many birth- 
day presents that he danced about and 
felt as young as anybody. 

By and by the little Bunnies helped Old 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


125 



Mother Bun set the table, and in came the 
birthday cake with eighty shining red 
candles upon it. 

My! what a feast they had! 

My! what funny stories they told! and 
how they enjoyed themselves! 

The Mad March Hare blew out the can- 
dles on the cake and upset the cream, but 
everyone excused him for he never had 
been trained in table manners. 



126 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


He had no bringing up anywhere, 

The dear little, queer little Mad March 
Hare! 

When the party was over the Bunnies 
bade Old Father and Mother Bun good 
bye and danced down the road. 

Said Happy Bunny “Hippety-hop, 

I’m going to buy a lollypop.” 

Said Homeless Bunny, 

“Hippety-hop, hippety-hop, 

I’ll join you in the candy shop.” 

Said Heedless Bunny and Raggedy 
in one breath, 

“Hippety-hop, hippety-hop, 

We’ll run and run and never stop.” 

The Mad March Hare had already dis- 
appeared. 

Healthy Bunny drew his little stool up 
between Old Father and Mother Bun and 
he talked to them saying, 

“I’m Healthy Bunny, in song and rhyme 
I always manage to have a good time; 
To become grown-up I have to wait, 


HEALTHY BUNNY 


127 


But I’ve learned some things at any rate; 
Pure water and food, we’ve always said, 
We must take, and go early to bed; 
We’ll keep clean, if we are wise, 

And take some healthy exercise; 

My lessons are odd, I know it’s true, 
But a tooth-brush I’ll introduce to you; 
‘Fresh air, fresh air,’ you hear me call, 
And Safety First, for one and all. 
‘Fighting Germs,’ says every Rabbit, 

‘Is an excellent Good Health Habit’.” 

Old Father and Mother Bun fell asleep, 
and the Mad March Hare peeped in the 
window and said, 

“To me your advice sounds very funny, 
Good bye, good bye, dear Good Health 
Bunny.” 

He disappeared as suddenly as he had 
come and Healthy Bunny said, 

“I greet you all with smile so sunny, 

For every one loves Healthy Bunny.” 
































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